Electric cable connector



Sept. 6, 1949- A. ANDERsoN ELECTRIC CABLE CONNECTOR Filed Aug. 14, 1946 Patented Sept. 6, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC CABLE CONNECTOR Andreas Anderson, Wellesley Hills, Mass.

Application August 14, 1946, Serial No. 690,379

7 Claims.

v This invention relates to an electric cable connector and particularly to a connector embodying a cable clamp.

The invention has for one of its objects to provide a novel and improved electric cable connector of the type comprising a plug and receptacle, the plug member of which is provided with a detachable handle and in which provision is made for clamping the cable to the handle in a novel and superior manner.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel cable connector embodying a handle and a clamp having provision whereby one or more cables may be clamped to the handle in an efficient and secure manner.

With these general objects in view, and such others as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the cable connector and in the various structures, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and particularly defined in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 is a plan view of the handle portion of a cable connector embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is a crosssectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side elevational detail view of one of the cable clamping members; Fig. 4 is a front elevational detail view of a cable clamp; Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the upper portion of the connector handle showing the cable clamp as it appears at its cable engaging side; Figs. 6 and '7 are plan views similar to Fig. 1 showing the clamps adjusted for a single cable and for two cables respectively; and Fig. 8 is a plan View illustrating the manner in which the clamps may be assembled with the handle.

In general, the present invention contemplates an improved cable clamp particularly adapted for use with the handle portion of a cable connector of the plug and receptacle type. Usually such handle portion comprises an internally threaded member which may be screwed onto one end of the connector after the cable wires have been attached, the handle serving as a protective cover or cap for the end of the connector. usual practice to provide a cable clamp about the insulated cable at the point where it extends through the top of the handle so that a pull upon the cable will not impart a strain to the ends which are connected to the plug. Various ex-' pedients have been heretofore proposed for this purpose and it is the aim of the present invention to provide a cable clamp of novel structure adapted to eliminate various dis dvan g s nd o jec- It is the 2 tions in the prior cable clamping devices, as will be described.

One type of prior cable clamp which has been in extensive use for clamping the cable in the handle portion of a cable connector comprises a pair of half sections semi-circular in cross-section which may be placed about the cable and screwed together by bolts extended through lugs provided on both sides of the half sections. In such prior structures the connection to the handle is made by hooking the outwardly flared and curved portions. provided at one end of the half sections, under the edge of the cylindrical open ng in the handle. With this type of clamp it is necessary to provide a different size of clamp for each different diameter of cable and the cable opening in the handle must also be of a size such as to receive the ends of the clamp members in hooking relationship. In accordance with one feature of the present invention, the cable clamp is made adjustable to receive different d ameters of cables in clamping relationship, within the lim ts of the connector. thus providing a universal clamp for use with the handle of a cable connector.

Furthermore, in the use of the prior cable clamp above described, the half sections are of necessity detachable from the handle to permit the latter to be rotated to attach or detach the handle from the plug. In the present embodiment of the invention the clamping portions are at all times carried by the handle and may be loosened or adjusted to permit rotation of the handle for purposes of assembly or disassembly. Thus in practice the handle and clamp may be moved to a position along the cable remote from the plug to which the ends of the cable are comiected to provide a. new connection or when making changes or repairs in an old connection without having to remove the clamping members.

Another novel feature of the present invention comprises the provision of longitudinal beads or ribs in the clamping members for engagement with the cable to provide a firm grip on the cable, the beads being disposed in a position such as to urge the cable into a central position with relation to the handle and the clamping member. The present adjustable clamping unit also permits a plurality of cables to be received in clamping relationship, as will be hereinafter described.

Referring now to the drawings, 10 represents the handle or cap portion of an electrical connector having an internally threaded portion 12 at one end for attachment to the plug [4 of a plug and receptacle connector, and having an adjustable clamping unit, indicated generally at I6, at

herein shown, the cooperating clamping-members 24, 26 are slidingly received in an opening 28 in the end wall 30 of the handle l ilyand the-clamping members are arranged to be tighten-ed about the cable [3 by a pair of opposed screws 32 rmounted .in the .handle and arranged to .engage the outer surfaces of'thehalf sections 'as"il'lus- ..tr.ate d.

i -.;The openingt28fintheendiwall of the handle [fi,..aslillustr.atejd in Fig. 1,, is; generally oblong in .form; being arcuatelycut at both ends as indiseated. atffifi, 36, to coniormigener'allytothe..arcn ;ateshapeoftheihdlf sections'24,l2$, and is pro- )videdwith opposedparallel e'dgcslforming tongues 138-,arrangeld to 'fit into. grooves 4Q fcrmed hy 7 upper. and. lower; laterally proj ecting p ortions 32,

' i4l,-..respective ly, of the clamping members, as

Lb'e'stshown in'ZFigifi. In order toes-sensible .clamping members'J'ZMZB in .operative position in theihandlempehing. 28,.the ,.clamping screws .152 "are. first. retracted. to .their. full ,extent so that .theen'ds oflthe screws are .beyonidthe. arcuate -ed es'lfls 36. .A. clamping. member may then be iinserteid .bylholding it in. a idiagonal'position with -respect tolthe opening and'lowering the, member within the ..opening vuntilpthe grooves All .are. in ,thesameplane as the tonguesiSB. The clamping .member may then be rotatedto a, position transversely of the..opening" to .engage the .projec'tions .42, .Wi'thjtheupper and lower surfaces. of..the end wallof the handle. .1.The assembledclamping 'membenmay then'be moved back to its maximum opened or retracted. position adjacentioneofthe arcuately tformeidedgesof theopening' 28 and the cooperating haltsectionv may-be inserted in -the same manner, ,"the clearances adjacent the edges. of the opening being justsufiicient to permit' loweringof the .clampinsmember in a (diagonaLposition, as shown in'lEigIEi. .The screws 32. maythen .be rotated to project the ends thereof slightly, beyond the. arcuate ed es 34,3550 that angular displacement of the clamping members tcann'ot occur. As illustrated in Figs. 3 and A, the uppei projectionsz of the half sectionscomprise the .edges .of .a;laterally. extended zportion i ie'arrangedltorest upon i-the .upper surface of :the end wall an'd'in jslidingmelation therewith. "With this construction "it. will be ,seen that the clamping 'members 24, .25 .arejtheld'. between the edges of the .opening; 28. for movement toward and from each. otheri and thatgdisplacementof the clamping memberslongitudinallyni the ham dle isprevented.

As Iillustrated. in'f'Figs. Z2..and l. the. screws. 32

are. carried -.by..opposed hub,-por.tions l 50 Jormed in thehandle lnrthehcentereof thehubJaeing 7 ssubstantiallyrin .al ignment l with the upper, .su

-iacepf.the..end.wall.so that about-one half .or the-hub. extends above the end wall of the'handle. tThel hub,,portions .are valso extended outwardly beyond the diameter of'the body portion of the handle to permit a wide range of adjustment and the screw opening is counterbored at its outer end so as to provide a protective sleeve about the outer end of the screw when in a position of 5 normal maximum outward adjustment. As shown in Fig. 4, the laterally extended portion 45 of each clamping member is continued over the top of the adjacent hub portion 50 and is formed #With arsemi circula'r portion-52iconcentric with ItheJhu-b tooafford clearance for the same during adjustment. The laterally extended portions 45 [thus form a closure or covering for the ends of .the opening 28 in all positions of adjustment. Theendwall-"of the handle may also be extended 5 ala-tera-llyeby-ribs 53 extending to the outer ends of the hubs 5D to form a shelf upon which the portions dh' of' theclamping members may slide in.-their-- outwardly extended position of adjustment. The curved portion 52 may and prefer- 2Q ably .will slidingly engage the hub portion 5%] .so' that the hub "forms agui'deto'centralize the "clamping memberwithrespect to the handle'and thus prevent lateral displacementiof the clamping member.

Referring now to Figs. '2-and4 the-upperedges of the arcuately formed 'half'sectionsi i, 26ma'y andLpreferably will be flared outwardly, as shown .at 60, and theloweredges may also begcurved as shown 'to facilitateinsertion' of "the "cable H3 30 7 between the clamps andthrough'the-handle. In order to; provide a firm and efficient grip ofthe clamping members uponthe'cable; the interior surfaces iofithe' half sections "24, 26; are provided with a plurality of raised portions or beads extending in a.direction longitudinally-ofthecable 'to'lbe' clamped. -As herein shown; the beads may and preferably will be" radially spaced about the interior surf aces .of the arcuate half sectionsiin a. mannersuch-as to provide selfcenteri-ng 'gri-p- 4 ping SHI'faCBS'ItOZdiSDOSE' the -clamped-cable sub- 'stantially in" the center "of the "handle, and-"in practice it"has-beerrfound thatat least 'four'beads, comprising an inner-pair 62 and-an outergpair fieior each'haliisectionjform-an efdcientgripping medium. inithexjillustrated embodiment "of i the invention the-beads are preferably spaced or progportioned' so that theinner pairof-beads 62 are spaced approximately 40 apart; in-a;circle-"having "a radius of the interior of the, arcuate-section, teach" bead' being' disposed-approximately 20" each :side of a transverse center line passing through the centerof the handle-or cable and parallelto the lin'eof' adjustable movement of the "clamping members. The outer pair'of-bea'ds 64 arepreierably spaced :approximately 25 outwardly from "the'inner'bea'dsBZ, or 45 each sidevofsaid' center line. The beads may andpreferably'will be'relatively sma'll; those illustrated being approximately %"=wide-and% high. It-willbenoted-that nobeads occur in alignment with the center line of:adj,ustment, thus providinggrippin'gsurfaceson either'silde of the center line Which'tend to urge the cable' to be clampedtowar'd the cen ter or the handleand providing aself-centering gripping unit. The beads may begmade in any --su'1table or convenient length; and as herein shown -'may'and preferably will be spaced longitudinally to-provide a'series of radially. spaced .beads dis- ;posed' in the uppen'p'ortionof theihalf, sections and a second series of beads. in. alignment with the'first series 'disposed'inthe lowerportion of each 'half. section.

As 'thusspaced and Proportioned'the beads are disposed in a position to efficiently gr ip any size, shape or'numb'er of cables, 'as indicatedunthe drawings. As illustrated in'Fig. 1, an oval cable is gripped evenly by each bead, the outer surface of the cable being deformed but slightly where engaged by the beads and those portions of the outer surface between the beads bearing against the inner surface of the half sections. In Fig. 6 the manner of gripping or clamping a round cable is illustrated wherein the inner pairs of beads 62 are arranged to engage the cable in gripping relationship, the radially spaced disposition of the beads tending to urge the cable into a central position with relation to the handle.- A cable of the size illustrated in Fig. 6, wherein the diameter of the cable is not concentric with the curvature of the arcuate surface of the half section, the

outer surface of the cable may be deformed slightly by the inner beads 62 with the outer beads 64 merely bearing against the outer surface of the cable, as shown. In a smaller diameter cable than that shown the outer beads 64 may not engage the cable at all.

Fig. 7 illustrates the adjustment of the clamping members for gripping engagement with two cables, wherein the outer pairs of beads 64 alone perform the gripping action, the spaced disposition of the beads being such as to urge the cables toward the center and againsteach other upon inward clamping movement of the clamping members.

It will thus be seen that a wide range of sizes I of cable may be efficiently clamped by the present cable clamp and that a plurality of cables may likewise be clamped, thedisposition of the upraised beads being such as to engage and urge the cable or cables into a central position with relation to the handle and the parallel relation of the gripping surfaces with the cable, providing a firm grip and preventing rotation of the cable in the handle. While the gripping surfaces are herein defined as beads, it will be obvious that the spaces between the beads form depressed portions or grooves in the inner surfaces of the clamping members for engagement with the cable. Thus the invention includes a modification of the illustrated gripping surfaces which may comprise grooves formed in the inner surfaces of the clamps disposed in a similar relationship. Various modifications in the size and shape of the gripping elements are also contemplated so as to provide T-shape or I-shape gripping surfaces which may and preferably will form extensions of the parallel beads or grooves described. Another modification may comprise a bushing having the de sired gripping surfaces and arranged to be inserted between the clamping members and the cable.

From the above description it will be seen that, in practice, the cable l8 may be extended through the handle and clamp portion thereof and upon attachment of the end of the cable to the connector, the cap or handle Ii! may be screwed onto the end of the plug and locked in position by a set screw 10. Thereafter, the clamping memhere 24, 26 are adjusted into clamping position by turning the clamping screws 32. Conversely, when it is desired to remove the cap for any purpose, it is merely necessary to loosen the clamping members to permit rotation of the cap, the clamping members being retained in the handle at all times.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and described, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1.In a cable connector, a handle forming a closure for one end of the connector, said handle having an end wall provided with an opening through which a cable may be extended, said wall opening being transversely elongated and provided with two parallel opposed edges forming tongues in the end wall, a cable clamp comprising a pair of opposed arcuately shaped half sections provided with grooved portions arranged to cooperate with said tongues to permit transverse adjustment of the latter toward and from each other to clamp the cable, and separate means carried by said handle and engageable with each of said half sections for selectively moving either one or the other of said half sections into a position to clamp the cable between them.

2. A cable clamp comprising a pair of opposed arcuately shaped half sections adapted to engage and grip a cable, means for supporting said half sections for movement toward and from each other, and separate means carried by said supporting means and engageable with each of said half sections for independently urging each of the half sections into clamping engagement, said arcuately shaped half sections being provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced beads on their cable engaging surfaces extending in a direction longitudinally of the cable to be clamped, said beads being also spaced longitudinally to provide at least two circumferentially spaced rows in substantially longitudinal alignment.

3. A cable clamp comprising a pair of opposed arcuately shaped half sections adapted to engage and grip a cable, means for supporting said half sections for movement toward and from each other, and separate means carried by said supporting means and engageable with each of said half sections for independently urging each of the half sections into clamping engagement, said arcuately shaped half sections being provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced elongated beads on their cable engaging surfaces extending in a direction longitudinally of the cable to be clamped, each of said half sections having at least two pairs of beads comprising an inner pair equidistantly spaced from the transverse center of adjustment and arranged for clamping engagement with a relatively small diameter cable, and an outer pair also equidis-tantly spaced from said center and arranged for clamping engagement with a relatively large diameter cable, said beads being effective to urge the cable into a central position upon transverse clamping movement of the half sections.

4. In a cable connector, a handle forming a closure for one end of the connector, said handle having an end wall provided with an opening through which a cable may be extended, said wall opening being transversely elongated and provided with two parallel opposed edges forming tongues in the end wall, a cable clamp comprising a pair of opposed arcuately shaped half sections provided with grooved portions arranged to cooperate with said tongues to permit transverse adjustment of the latter toward and from each other to clamp the cable, and separate means carried by said handle and engageable with each of said half sections for independently urging each of the half sections into clamping engagement, said arcuately shaped half sections being provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced elongated beads on their cable enigaging surfaces :extending i inra direction ulofigitudinally of the cable to be clamped.

5. 1nua cable connector,eai'ihandleiforniing a :closure for: one end :of the connector; said=-handle through which a "cableinay-be extended; said- Wall opening being 1 transversely elongated Y and 1 pro- "vided "-Withtwo parallel opposed edges -forming tongues in the end-wall; a cable clamp comprisin a pair sof opposed arcuatelyshaped' halfsec tions 'providedwithigrooved portions arranged to cooperate with. said tongues-to permit transverse adjustment fvthe-latter= toward and iromeach other'to' clamp the cable, an'd separate means car- -said iiai sections for independently urging each -01? the :half 1v sections into clampin engagement, said arcuateiy shaped half :secti'ons being provided withgripping-surfaces arranged to engage and: urge the cable into-a: central, position :with "relation to the. handle upon inward clamping :inovement.

-6.= A cable clamp comprisingiapain of opposed zarcuately shaped half sections adapted-V to engage having anend wa'llr-providedwith an opening :ried b'y saidhandle'and engageable-with eachof,

:a cable, means for supporting said half-sections L B In ea'rcabie :zeonneetor, 73, elia-ndie forming ea :cl'osureiorrone end ofithe:conneotor said handle shaving an mend :wall ziprovided --wi-th opening :through which a -cable may --be extended, 1 said wall eopening being itransversely elongated and lprovided withtwo parallel-iopposed edges forming =-tongues: in: the:end-:=wal1,-a= cable: clamp com-prising 5a paimofaopposed arcuately:shaped half sections provided with groovediportions arranged -to i coop'erate -=with said tongues to permit transverse adiustment of the flatter i-toward and irom 1 each 'otherto clamp the-ecable, :and separate -=-means carried -bysaidhandle and engageable with each :of said-ha1f sections -for independently urging :each-aof the "half sections-into clamping engage- ?ment andaguide -means:- formed in said end Wall :and cooperating-with said-half sections for main- :taining: the flatten-inalignment with said opening.

1 ANDREAS ANDERSON.

REFERENCES CITED 'l rhe foiiowing rererenees are of record vin the "nmrEosTATEs enemas :Number Name Date t;026;238 :Andersenh fi-nnhsmay 14, @1912 15230342 Mo'Muttrie June 19, 191? 1,794,274 Blumensaadt Felt-24, 1931 12;0925343 Wayma'nfichesemi-7 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country I Date 7 52,266 Norway a..,. =i :June 6,1931 F 1645011 fiswitzerland -5.Nov. 16,1933 

